Greg Jennings has been asked plenty of times about the differences between the quarterbacks he played with in Green Bay and the one he’ll play with in Minnesota after signing with the Vikings as a free agent this offseason and he was asked about it again during an appearance on ESPN on Tuesday.

Stephen A. Smith started off the interview with a question about why Jennings made a choice to go from playing with Aaron Rodgers to playing with Christian Ponder. Jennings explained there was more to the decision than the fact that Ponder wasn’t on the same level as the two Packer quarterbacks. Eventually, as Smith kept hammering away at the point, Jennings said that quarterbacks need time to develop and that attention had to be paid to the team around them.

“Brett Favre, receivers around him. Aaron Rodgers, receivers around him. Christian Ponder, receivers around him,” Jennings said. “He [Ponder] has always been in a position where the stress and pressure was on him. He really didn’t have the help around him to take that load off, outside of ‘All Day’ [running back Adrian Peterson].”

Percy Harvin would likely have a different opinion, but there’s no question that the Vikings went after targets for Ponder this offseason after they dealt Harvin to Seattle. They drafted Cordarrelle Patterson in the first round to go with Jennings and brought back Jerome Simpson in hopes that he’s healthier and more productive in a second season with the Vikings.

Jennings is the leader of that group, so his nod toward the importance of the supporting cast could blow back on him if things don’t develop as hoped for the Vikings offense this year. Any struggles are more likely to reflect poorly on Ponder, though. It’s the nature of being a quarterback in the NFL and it’s especially the case for one that Jennings said there should be questions about heading into the 2013 season.

A QB is usually only as good as the team support he is provided with. If you don’t figure out how to coach your players up, then you just don’t maximize their upper-limit potential. He was a HUGE 1st Round pick investment and a major boner by not taking Kaepernick instead who I had a MUCH higher rating on.

I didn’t have Ponder as a Round 3 prospect even and I had Kaep as a Top 10 talent. So not only did they blow the pick, but they have failed to capitalize on the one they made and they are allowing a massive amount of inefficiency to take place. They have stunted their long-term growth.

I’d love to see the Vikings WR numbers if Aaron Rodgers was their QB with AP in the backfield and their solid offensive line. Pedestrian WR like Jerome Simpson would be putting up career numbers.

Now lets see Christian Ponder playing with the Packers offensive line and running game. We’ll give him all the Packers WR but lets see how he does against a dime defense every play. Ponder was many times facing a 3 man secondary last season and he still struggled at times.

I’m sure there are plenty of reasons GJ wanted to get out of Green Bay. The fact of the matter is, the last time they won the SuperBowl over in Wisconsin, GJ was the breakout star WR (and Bishop was the best defensive player). He brings leadership and veteran savvy to an already potent offense. Jennings should boost Ponders play significantly. The last game Ponder played in he threw for 3 TDs (vs GB) and that was without Harvin (or Jennings). It will be scary if Ponder can continue to play like that with new WR threats like Jennings and Patterson

Ponder was absolutely terrible for about an 8-game stretch in the middle of last season. I was convinced he would never be an NFL quarterback. But he was very good at the beginning of the season and again at the end of the season. He’s shown he can make big-time plays when he needs to. All he needs to do is be more consistent, and having actual NFL receivers should go a long way toward helping him. I think he’ll be good this year. If he isn’t, he’ll be replaced by Matt Cassell and the Vikings will draft a QB in the first round next year in a deep quarterback draft.

Jennings will end up being the most influential FA signing in Vikings history!!!!

deltaoracle says:Jul 16, 2013 4:31 PM

Hmm… all we heard from Favre fans when things didn’t go well was that the Packers didn’t give him receivers who were good enough. And Heidis are always telling us that Rodgers doesn’t really have a #1 receiver. But now Favre and Rodgers were/are successful just because they had/have receivers who made them look good. Hmm.
Actually Greg needs to pick up the favorite theme of all the haters: It’s just “the system.” If only the Vikes would put in that “system” which allows a QB to roll out to his left and throw a perfect strike while on the run, Ponder would already be posing for his bust in Canton. After all, did you know that CP threw for 230 yards in a game last year? Without Jennings? Yeah, let’s see Aaron Rodgers do that if he ever gets outside of that system!

Never underestimate the rapport that elite-level quarterbacks have with WR that they have played with for some time. Favre did this, first with Sterling Sharpe, then Robert Brooks, and then Antonio Freeman, then Donald Driver.

Aaron Rodgers developed that with Jordy Nelson and Greg Jennings in GB right away, which was key for his development into a big-time QB.

The QB gets most of the accolades, when in reality, a large portion of that is the trust they have with their receivers in certain routes & situations.

Ponder has had 1.5 years to play, and the ONLY capable receiver he has played with is an oft-injured Percy Harvin, who frankly is a head case who doesn’t help out his QB any. He started to develop that with Rudolph as the year went on, and now having some receivers to call his own (Jennings, Patterson, etc) should take him to the next level in year 3.

Ponder has the luxury of AP in the backfield, something no other QB has. AP limits what defenses can do because he requires so much attention. As a result, Ponder sees fewer and more simplistic defenses than many QBs in the league. If Ponder was a superstar, defenses would be forced to stack the box or play the pass or mix it up. Right now, they don’t really have to respect the pass – which handicaps AP.

Now that Ponder has a few legitimate targets. Although, I would argue that Harvin and Rudolph were legitimate targets; he has no more excuses. The Vikings season will live or die largely due to how Ponder performs. If he doesn’t put it together, the Vikings will have to make a switch next year.

People like to rip Ponder, but I think he deserves a little bit of development time before people paass judgment on him. This is his third year. If he struggles this year, then you move on. Aaron Rodgers never even got off the bench until the middle of his third year and never started until his fourth year. Some quarterbacks can come in right away and do well. Others, like Eli Manning, Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan, and Drew Brees, take a few years to develop. I think we all should have expected Ponder to take a few years to develop.

Percy missed half the season last year, and in the other half he was throwing weights at his coaches and undermining his quarterback.

stellarperformance says:Jul 16, 2013 4:47 PM

Ponder has had a lot more than other quarterbacks. How many teams have somebody that can take the pressure off with an option like Peterson? None. The O-line was adequate too, and they had Percy Harvin and a pretty damn good TE (can’t remember his name.)

I think Jennings is being a diplomat and is giving Ponder nothing more than words of confidence…which can’t hurt. But ultimately it will be up to Ponder…with no excuses.

True, Ponder has AD to take the pressure off, but that also limits the numbers he’s going to put up. He’s had a couple 350-yard games but they were both losses. This team is built around AD, so if Ponder puts up 137 yards but converts some key third downs, that can be a good game and a victory. If Rodgers throws for 137 yards, the Packers lose every time.

You’re right…. I mean every QB needs a good running game and we all know he really hasn’t had that…. And as for playmakers, he had no one the caliber of say Percy Harvin of the Seahawks….

buckybadger says:Jul 16, 2013 4:52 PM

Favre had a lot of guys he carried most of his career too. He made a 1000yd WR out of Bill Schroeder if people remember him. Rodgers has shown the same ability as well. The best QBs don’t need a great WR corp to be great, just guys with discipline. Jennings is going to find out it isn’t so easy when the ball is right in your hands 99% of the time.

vikingsrulez69 says:
Jul 16, 2013 4:31 PM
Jennings will end up being the most influential FA signing in Vikings history!!!!

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Just keep on complying the undeniable evidence of endemic delusional disorder in MN.

lbpackfan says:Jul 16, 2013 4:54 PM

allday28mvpmvp says: Jul 16, 2013 4:29 PM

I’m sure there are plenty of reasons GJ wanted to get out of Green Bay. The fact of the matter is, the last time they won the SuperBowl over in Wisconsin, GJ was the breakout star WR (and Bishop was the best defensive player). He brings leadership and veteran savvy to an already potent offense. Jennings should boost Ponders play significantly. The last game Ponder played in he threw for 3 TDs (vs GB) and that was without Harvin (or Jennings). It will be scary if Ponder can continue to play like that with new WR threats like Jennings and Patterson

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Wonder where “Vikings are paying him the most” falls on that list of reasons WHY GJ wanted out of Green Bay?? (Props to Jennings…3 years older than Victor Cruz…dinged up last 2 years…and getting paid more..LOL)

I’m gonna guess that Ponder will lead to Cassel and once again, there will be no stability at QB in MN since Fran.

I wish we could draft a 15 year starter. My god, I’m gonna be dead soon. WIN A FREAKIN SUPERBOWL BEFORE I DIE!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

jrmbadger says:Jul 16, 2013 5:37 PM

Jennings got out of Green Bay because his ego couldn’t accept that he had been wrong about how much he was worth. He made a big show to his inner circle (see: his sister’s tweets) about how he should be paid more money and how Thompson is a cheapskate and how he’d be putting up insane numbers if he wasn’t buried behind other talent. Then, when Thompson turned out to be right, rather than have to face Thompson, he jetted for the big inflatable toilet.

Good luck Greg, but in reality Randall Cobb is ready to take your place.

Ponder was drafted a few days before the NFL lockout. He got his playbook but that was about it. He then reached out to the Vikings receivers to meet and train together. He was dissed by Percy Harvin, even though they were both in Florida at the time. So how is it Ponder’s fault that they never developed a report? Harvin has hated Ponder since before they played together. Maybe it’s a UF vs FSU thing, IDK. Maybe Percy is sick of his QB getting hotter chicks than he does. All I know is, Percy Harvin is one of the most amazing athletes I’ve ever watched do anything, but I wouldn’t wanna be his QB. I don’t think anyone knows for sure what Ponder is or isn’t capable of…time will tell. But I’ll say it again, NFC North fans better hope he doesn’t figure it out, because it’s the only thing giving you a chance right now.

Why do they even ask Jennings about Ponder? He’s a Viking now but the truth is that he never played with Ponder so what the hell does he really know?

Jennings signed for the most money, plain and simple. The fact that he gave up any chance at another Superbowl and he has to play in a college stadium for a college level talent team was apparently worth the extra money he got.

All the Ponder defenders can jump on his bandwagon and say he needs more time to develop. I agree, and I hope the Vikings take the next 3 years to see how it goes. That way, AD will be over the hill and the Vikings will no longer have the best RB in pro football and even a lesser chance of winning it all. Not that they ever have, I just doubt they ever will.

According to Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com the Packers offered a deal worth $10 mill/year. The Vikings are paying him 9.5 mill/year. So the argument that he is going to the Vikes for the $ is false.

dwarftosser says:Jul 16, 2013 5:57 PM

Rodgers is too good at finding the open guy, Jennings was never going to get the big numbers he’s capable of in that offense because Aaron is always going to keep the defense guessing. I don’t blame him for leaving, and I don’t blame him for talking his current QB up now.. he might even start to believe what he is saying if he repeats it enough.

greyhawk9 says:Jul 16, 2013 6:05 PM

all these excuses sound oddly like the ones from 49er fans made for 6+years in regards to alex smith…he eventually became a solid game management type qb. I think ponder has more upside than smith…but not much.

packfan0492 says:Jul 16, 2013 6:07 PM

Just wait, Jennings will get doubled team and Ponder will pass to other receivers. Then Jennings sister will fire off texts about Ponder not liking Greg. Then you will be able to say that Rodgers and Ponder are alike.

toothfairyretributionmanifesto says:
Jul 16, 2013 5:55 PM
According to Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com the Packers offered a deal worth $10 mill/year. The Vikings are paying him 9.5 mill/year. So the argument that he is going to the Vikes for the $ is false.
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Incorrect, multiple sources, including Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the Packers offer topped out at 8 million a year.

lbpackfan says:Jul 16, 2013 6:11 PM

toothfairyretributionmanifesto says: Jul 16, 2013 5:55 PM

According to Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com the Packers offered a deal worth $10 mill/year. The Vikings are paying him 9.5 mill/year. So the argument that he is going to the Vikes for the $ is false.

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Basically Jennings bet on himself and lost. That deal was apparently offered last year sometime…Jennings wanted to test the free agency market thinking he could get more…and he didn’t.

Tooth – that was near the beginning of last season, right before he missed nearly all of it and became expendable. Vikes didn’t have a choice with that sorry stable of WRs after wallace spurned them for 10s of millions less.

jrmbadger says:Jul 16, 2013 6:21 PM

toothfairyretributionmanifesto says:Jul 16, 2013 5:55 PM

According to Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com the Packers offered a deal worth $10 mill/year. The Vikings are paying him 9.5 mill/year. So the argument that he is going to the Vikes for the $ is false.
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Thompson offered Jennings 10 million during the season. Jennings thought he was worth 15 million and so he entered free agency. At that point Thompson dropped it to 8/year.

As others have said, he bet on himself and lost and took the Vikings offer because it was more money and because he didn’t want to admit that Thompson was right.

The person who said Greg Jennings took less to be a Viking is incorrect. The Packers offered $10 million per season last August before the season. Jennings turned it down because he considers himself an equal to his good friend Larry Fitzgerald and thinks he should be paid equal.

This is why Jennings and his sister were upset with Rodgers during the season. In the game Jennings was healthy #12 wasn’t force feeding him the football. They think he may have even been avoiding throwing to Greg to keep his numbers down.

Offseason arrives and Packers offer tops out at $8 million per. So you are wrong Vikings fan.

Jennings thought he was worth more than he was, the market showed it, regardless of minor differences between what the Packers offered and what he took from the Vikings. Jennings was a good receiver, he had some very good numbers for a few years. But he had been injury prone the last two years. Thompson has his magical measurements – at 30 you’re not worth as much, get injured enough, you subtract a year of value off from there. That’s why Jennings and Bishop are both in Minnesota. They’re willing to pay more for less than the Packers.

Perhaps at some point the Vikings will figure out getting the talent the Packers have after they’ve left their best on the field already isn’t the way to go. One would have to think when they don’t win anything with Jennings and Bishop they’ll stop going to the dried up Packer wells. But I certainly hope not. It’s a nice formula, one that leaves hardware in Green Bay and broken hearts in Minnesota. I’m already counting on the Vikings taking Cobb and Matthews when they’re past their prime.

cags777 says:Jul 16, 2013 11:08 PM

What do you know. Another story mentioning the Vikings and Christian Ponder and out come the trolls.

Ponder will be fine. I don’t know why people want him to be a superstar already when he’s just 3 years into his career.

His biggest problem has been Bill Musgrave as his OC. Considering that handcuff, he’s doing great. I feel comfortable saying he’s going to continue progressing in the system and make more strides this year. He’s smart as a whip and has enough arm strength to succeed in the league.

As long as the Vikings and Musgrave (Frazier) pound the football, whoever QB’s the Vikes will not put up big yardage totals. Just won’t happen. Ponder doesn’t throw deep often because the deep pass has no significance in the game plan, and is rarely called. It’s easy to see why if you watched the Vikings much over the past couple of seasons. WR’s were hardly ever open. No separation, no speed, no deep threat. That may change with some of the new personnel, but unless AP gets hurt, the passing game will never be featured. What Ponder did well the last four games was convert third downs, and not turn the ball over. That’s why he was successful, and that’s what he needs to continue to do. He has as much arm as Brady, Brees or either Manning, and a high football IQ. The strides he needs to make this season will be in his confidence and decision making.

theytukrjobs says:Jul 17, 2013 12:43 AM

Does every QB have to be compared to a top 3 QB all the time? Yes Ponder is no Rodgers and probably never will be. Few will. We’re hoping for him to be a Flacco though, which is a more realistic milestone.

But there is some truth to what Jennings is saying. Harvin was a good player at what he did, but Ponder needs down field targets that can get open for his numbers to elevate. If Rudolph improves, Simpson/Carlson are healthy, and Patterson/Jennings work out then maybe the passing game will pick up.

okemon says:Jul 17, 2013 1:07 AM

I’m still rooting for Ponder, and even if he takes a bigger step forward than the Staff expects, I still want the vikings to be drafting a QB in the draft next year. I hope Christian develops into a top 6 QB for many years. But I also want a quality QB from the draft next year. If something happens to Ponder I want someone stepping in that is not just a backup but that has the potential to be a top 6 QB. and then if we can only keep one we still will have a Quality QB. The vikings can make the playoffs, but to say there’s no competition at the QB’s position is accepting less than the team we could have. I want the Best team we can field and that means True Competition at the QB position.

Then you will be able to say that Rodgers and Ponder are alike.
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Wrong! Rodgers is a DB (and I don’t mean a Defencive Back). Favre welcomed everyone into the team. Rodgers is too clicky and arrogant. He’s always photo-bombing. What a pompous ass!

skcrooge says:Jul 17, 2013 7:59 PM

Ponder is smart like AR, but does not have the arm that AR does. However, with AD, all we need is a game manager and Ponder can ride that hoss as far as it goes. Who ever plays any receiver spot is gonna have a helluva year!

derklempner says:Jul 18, 2013 1:48 AM

Christian Ponder is the next iteration of 2006-era Rex Grossman: too inconsistent to be a successful full-time NFL quarterback, yet expected to carry a team deep into the postseason. The only difference is that Ponder won’t win any postseason games.

Percy missed half the season last year, and in the other half he was throwing weights at his coaches and undermining his quarterback.
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You can also make the point that AD was not to full strength during the first half of the season when Percy was playing.

But let’s be real. Aaron Rodgers is a far better QB than Ponder will ever be. Rodgers does it with a terrible line. Ponder has a decent line and a lot of his completions last year were 5 yard passes or less. It took YAC to boost his passing yardage.

I’m a Viking fan and I hope Ponder develops and this is the year to make or break him. I’m personally tired of the excuses about not having weapons, yada, yada, yada. The fact is when you can’t be accurate consistently on 3 yard passes it doesn’t matter what your weapons ar. That tells a lot. Statistics (completion %) do not tell the whole story. There are too many variables. Like I said, this is make or break. He has plenty of weapons now. Let’s see how he handles it.

toddc612 says:Jul 18, 2013 1:31 PM

I do not believe, for one second, that a QB needs a strong receiver set in order to be considered good at your position (Baltimore Ravens of the 2000s, anyone?). Perhaps a QB needs a decent line, but I really don’t think receivers come into it.

To me, it’s just an excuse for mediocre QB play. Which is exactly how it was used last year with Ponder. He had both good and bad games with the same receivers.

No matter — with the arrival of Matt Cassel, Ponder will be yanked from the game if his performance goes from bad to worse.

ejmat2 says:Jul 18, 2013 2:58 PM

toddc612 says:
Jul 18, 2013 1:31 PM
…. No matter — with the arrival of Matt Cassel, Ponder will be yanked from the game if his performance goes from bad to worse.
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Let’s hope so but with Frazier as the HC it’s hard to tell. I waited a long time for him to do it last year but he never pulled the trigger. If he would have it may have made a difference in the playoff game when Webb had to come in ice cold.

According to Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com the Packers offered a deal worth $10 mill/year. The Vikings are paying him 9.5 mill/year. So the argument that he is going to the Vikes for the $ is false.
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Thompson offered Jennings 10 million during the season. Jennings thought he was worth 15 million and so he entered free agency. At that point Thompson dropped it to 8/year.

As others have said, he bet on himself and lost and took the Vikings offer because it was more money and because he didn’t want to admit that Thompson was right.
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Glad we have all this insider scoop. Do you have personal knowledge of this or a link? Or is it your assumption? Maybe, just maybe Jennings saw he was dropping on the depth chart in GB and wanted to have a more prevelent role with a team. Maybe there were other reasons why he signed with MN.

Just wait, Jennings will get doubled team and Ponder will pass to other receivers. Then Jennings sister will fire off texts about Ponder not liking Greg. Then you will be able to say that Rodgers and Ponder are alike.

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Jennings getting double teamed? Really? With AD running the ball? I suppose GB’s defensive coordinator has proven to be that clueless! So let’s hope for that.

I’m so tired of clueless GB fans that have nothing to say about anything.